VISIONS AND OMENS OF THE TURF

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 36, 12 February 1938, Page 27

VISIONS AND OMENS OF THE TURF

Cranks may argue as they please about racing and similar sporting institutions, but I hold that a race like the Derby is a very fine thing and a great influence for good, writes the Earl of Lonsdale in the "Sunday Express."

In what other country on the face of the earth could you have seen a picture like that at Epsom Downs on the day when Persimmon won the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) his first Derby?

I never saw such popular enthusiasm on a racecourse as there was that day. The vast crowd went almost frantic with excitement as they pressed around the Royal sportsman in their anxiety to congratulate him. For once the police found the assembled thousands almost too much for them. The women were every bit as demonstrative as the men.

There were shouts of "Good old Teddy!" as the Prince, with his hat off, advanced to the paddock gate to meet Persimmon and lead him in, and it was all the police could do to make a pathway for him. A memorable sight, and one that I shall never forget.

His Royal Highness was a great supporter of the Turf, as everybody knows, and his favourite racing town was Newmarket, which he liked. I think, because he could go about wl.hout being mobbed. The local people, themselves interested in the sport, looked upon him as a fellow-enthusi-ast, and always respected his feelings. For racing men are the most reasonable of folk. And most' of them have a tremendous sense of fairness, as well as a sense of humour.

I should like to tell a little story about the famous race for the Blue Riband of the Turf.

This story was told to me by a friend when I was young, and I believe

that the facts are correct. It goes to show how visions and omens play a big part in forecasting trie results of great races. ' ■.' .

When Bluegown won his Derby, there were, it appears, many people who backed the horse because they had dreamed about it or otherwise had premonitions of the result.

A Leicester man named Farley had taken his wife and daughter to London for the great race, intending to stay a few days in the capital and travel down to Epsom on the morning of the Derby.

While they were walking in Regent Street, the woman drew her husband's attention to a dress in one of the shop windows, saying: "Oh, my dear, I should love to have that beautiful blue, gown." Now, the husband had at that very moment been cogitating over the probable result of the Derby, and he immediately came to the conclusion that he could not do better than back the tip which his wife had unwittingly given him. So he bought the blue gown, and when he sat with his wife watching the race, she wearing her elegant new dress of blue, they both had the satisfaction of seeing the other. Bluegown flash past the post the splendid winner of the Derby of 1863! He had a good win, I am told, and his lady won enough to buy her many another gown! Caractacus, the winner of the 1862 Derby, figured in a drama. There is a story that round about the approach of Derby Day in that year a fanner exhibited a plough horse which he had called Caractacus, at a local show. When he was awarded a prize, lie took it as an omen, and sold his farm and everything he possessed to put It on Caractacus for the Derby.